Boundless was launched with a clear objective: to build universal infrastructure for the verification of computation across the blockchain ecosystem and beyond. It has already grown to be the largest proof network and open market for zero-knowledge proofs.In Boundless participation is permissionless, anyone can request proofs and be a prover.. Governance needs to follow the same principles, and progress deliberately to ensure the protocol’s success.
As the network matures and more stakeholders rely on Boundless, governance needs to evolve alongside it. The goal is not speed for its own sake, but building the kind of decision-making infrastructure that can support this robust infrastructure in the long term.
This post explains how governance works on Boundless today, how it will evolve over the course of this year, and how the community will participate as the network moves toward full decentralization targeted for September 2026.
Current state of the network
As of January 2026, Boundless operates as the first open, permissionless proof market in production.
- Proof requests are fully permissionless
- Proving capacity is supplied by independent operators competing in an open market
- No single party operates a critical function of the market.
Governance, however, is still in an early and intentionally conservative phase. This is by design. Early governance prioritizes safety, continuity, and the ability to iterate quickly while the protocol matures and more usage emerges.
The path to decentralized governance
Governance on Boundless is structured around five categories, each with different risk profiles and therefore different levels of review and community involvement.
Rather than applying a single voting model to all decisions, each category follows a process designed to balance speed, safety, and stakeholder control.
To make the governance process easier to follow, a few terms are used consistently throughout this post:
- Technical Team Multisig: A multisig controlled by Boundless Networks, the labs company of the Boundless Foundation.
- Foundation Multisig: A multisig controlled by the Boundless Foundation and its members.
- Stage: A time-boxed phase in the governance process. Each stage has a defined duration and a designated actor. If no action is taken during a stage, the proposal either advances automatically or expires, depending on the category. In certain categories, a stage may conclude early once all predefined requirements for that stage have been satisfied.
Boundless protocol upgrades
What this covers: Changes to the core Boundless protocol, including performance improvements, feature additions, and routine maintenance.
Today: Protocol upgrades are initiated and executed by the Technical Team multisig. This allows the protocol to evolve quickly while remaining reliable.
Target model (September 2026):
- Stage 1 — 7 days (early advance allowed): The technical team multisig signs off and opens the review period.
- Stage 2 — 2 days (optimistic): Staked ZKC holders may veto the upgrade. If 50% or more of votes cast are “No,” the upgrade is blocked. No quorum is required, and votes may be changed during the voting window.
Design rationale
Most protocol upgrades are iterative, operational, and reversible. An optimistic model allows the protocol to evolve without unnecessary friction, while still giving staked ZKC holders a clear and enforceable mechanism to block changes they disagree with.
A quorum is not required to avoid governance deadlock caused by inactivity. Instead, control is exercised through stake-weighted participation: opposition must be expressed explicitly for a proposal to be blocked.
Grants
What this covers: Funding for applications, tooling, infrastructure, and ecosystem development.
Today: Grant decisions are made and executed by the Boundless Foundation multisig.
Target model (September 2026):
- Stage 1 — 7 days (early advance allowed): The Boundless Foundation multisig signs off on a grant proposal.
- Stage 2 — 7 days (optimistic): Staked ZKC holders may veto with 50% or more “No” votes. No quorum is required, and votes may be changed.
Design rationale
Grant decisions benefit from continuity and timely execution, particularly when supporting early infrastructure and ecosystem development.
The optimistic model ensures that grants can move forward efficiently while remaining accountable to staked ZKC holders, who retain the ability to veto proposals that do not align with the network’s interests.
Token upgrades
What this covers: Changes to the ZKC token, including staking, slashing, or supply mechanics.
Today: Token upgrades are executed by multisigs under strict internal controls.
Target model (September 2026):
- Stage 1 — 30 days (no early advance): The Boundless Foundation multisig signs off and opens a mandatory review period.
- Stage 2 — 7 days (normal vote): Staked ZKC holders must explicitly approve the change. 50% or more “Yes” votes are required. No quorum is required, and votes may be changed.
Design rationale
Token upgrades directly affect economic security, incentives, and long-term alignment. For this reason, they do not use an optimistic model.
Requiring explicit approval ensures that token changes proceed only with clear stakeholder consent. Longer review periods provide additional time for evaluation, discussion, and risk assessment.
Emergency upgrades
- Applies to protocol and token changes
What this covers: Urgent fixes required to address critical bugs or security risks.
Today: The Foundation multisig and Technical Team multisig may act quickly when immediate intervention is required.
Target model (September 2026): Emergency authority remains available, but execution will transition to a Security Council composed of multiple independent external parties, rotating on a fixed schedule.
Design rationale
Emergency upgrades exist to address critical bugs or security risks that cannot wait for standard governance timelines.
This authority is intentionally narrow in scope and designed to prioritize network safety. Over time, execution will transition from internal multisigs to an independent security council to further reduce risk while preserving the ability to act quickly when necessary.
Governance contract updates
What this covers: Changes to governance rules, voting logic, or delegation mechanisms.
Today: Governance contract updates are executed by the Boundless Foundation multisig.
Target model (September 2026):
- Stage 1 — 14 days (no early advance): The Foundation multisig signs off and opens the review period.
- Stage 2 — 14 days (optimistic): Staked ZKC holders may veto with 50% or more “No” votes. No quorum is required, and votes may be changed.
Design rationale
Governance rules define how all other decisions are made. Changes in this category require longer review periods and conservative safeguards.
An optimistic veto model allows governance to evolve without constant re-approval, while ensuring that staked ZKC holders can block changes that would materially alter governance mechanics or participation rights.
Participation and eligibility
All governance participation is open to staked ZKC holders.
- Both locked and unlocked ZKC may be staked
- Voting power is proportional to the amount of ZKC staked
- No additional permissions are required
Boundless will maintain a public page listing wallets with locked ZKC for transparency. All governance proposals will be published on Boundless’ Aragon governance page.
Governance changes in 2026
Boundless exists to make zero-knowledge proofs available to every blockchain. Achieving that goal requires more than a permissionless market, it requires governance that can operate credibly at scale.
Over the course of 2026, governance on Boundless will transition from foundation/labs-led model to one enforced by staked ZKC holders. By September 2026:
- Protocol upgrades, grants, and governance changes will proceed only if they are not vetoed by the community
- Token upgrades will require explicit approval from staked ZKC holders
- Emergency actions will remain possible, with execution moving toward an independent security council
This approach ensures that as Boundless becomes a shared piece of infrastructure across the internet, no single party retains unilateral control over how it evolves.It is about building toward a model where critical decisions reflect the interests of those who use and secure the network.
To participate in governance, stake ZKC by heading to the Boundless Staking Dashboard.